A response to Father Hunwicke's question: "What is to be done about The Council?"

Between the Fine Flaring Gin Palace and the Low Dirty Beer Shop, the Boy Thief Squanders
and Gambles Away His Ill-Gotten Gains. — George Cruikshank. 1848.
Second illustration in The Drunkard's Children.

Yours truly, after typing zealously in the combox window at the Reverend Hunwicke's blog, thought it better to wax on at length here rather than clutter up Father's site.

What is to be done about "The Council"?

To the Reverend Father, I would like to suggest that in order for the Church to move on from any addiction to a Council or, more accurately, move on from addictions to intentional misappropriations of a Council, the "Media Council" spoken of by Pope Benedict XVI, the Church or a significant portion thereof must first hit rock bottom. There is far too much "drinking" still going on to suggest the Church is ready for a major overhaul of the overhaul. So many folk do not know better or do not want to know and do better, or are comfortable with the chaos and who have no reason to think and behave any better. Meanwhile, in the midst of the zaniness and often times dangerous fallout, healthier members of our Catholic family must suffer the agony of watching our siblings descend into a hellish state. The few must continually fast and pray for the many, and be a leaven of right living in the midst of the chaos.

Only those whose eyes have been darkened by sin cannot see that the Prodigal Church is dying. Everywhere, however, there are signs of renewal and sobriety. For one, the Ordinariate, at present a mustard seed. For a general or widespread change to happen, three things must occur: 1) those addicted to a god and church created in their own image must acknowledge they have a serious problem; and then 2) they must choose the living God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and keep His commandments (John 14:21; 23); and 3) God-fearing folk must be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:14-16). Thank goodness we have blogs such as Liturgical Notes/Mutual Enrichment that continually sound the trumpet of repentance, change and hope.

To switch images, the train may be derailed and grinding along its way, but if enough saints come along to do the heavy lifting, i.e., to cooperate with God and realign the cars that have jumped the tracks, the Church will again speed on its way to her destination. The Engine (the Magisterium protected by the Holy Ghost) is, of course, still aligned with the track (Jesus, the Way). A few (many?) cars have been derailed and, if they are damaged so badly they pose a deadly risk to the integrity of the Train, they might need to be unhitched in order that the rest of the cars can proceed. Passengers who want to continue to the destination will board the moving cars. The baggage cars, e.g., liberal or progressive ideologies and those religious orders, societies and lay groups clinging to them, will (likely choose to) be left behind.

The model for a way forward is the Ordinariate, especially Divine Worship (DW). God, through the Mass (DW), is refocusing the mission of the Church and disposing souls to His plan. For the good of souls, let us propose to individuals and the world the truth, goodness and beauty of God found in Divine Worship and in the Personal Ordinariates. Beauty attracts; truth liberates; goodness and mercy restore hope to the soul. God's rescue mission includes the Ordinariate established by the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.

In summary, nothing is to be done about the Council. Everything has to be done with the human hearts darkened by the Council's worst chapters written by those foolish enough to think they could rewrite history.